The LA Galaxy’s post-World Cup struggles deepened on Wednesday night with a 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place.
The Galaxy has recorded two wins in 10 games since MLS resumed after the World Cup break. It’s had 10 consecutive matches with a different starting lineup due to injuries, transfers, and squad rotation. These are both factors in and out of the Galaxy’s control.
The club’s only consistency has been its inconsistency, and Wednesday night in Vancouver was the latest chapter in the inability to build postive momentum.
The Whitecaps took the lead through Brian White, who punished the Galaxy’s backline before it had a chance to reset after losing possession. Thomas Müller delivered a perfectly weighted pass for White to finish.
The second goal arrived in similar fashion. A slip from Erik Thommy in midfield gifted Ryan Gauld the space to double Vancouver’s lead and send BC Place celebrating to start the second half.
The finishing touch came in the closing moments. Substitute Emiro Garces fouled in the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. J.T. Marcinkowski got a hand to Bruno Caicedo’s penalty but couldn’t keep it out.
LA has won just twice in Vancouver since the start of the decade and this performance was nowhere near the level required to change that record.
Head Coach Greg Vanney named a different starting lineup from the match before. Isiah Parente, Pablo Ruiz, and Lucas Sanabria all started the previous game against New England on the bench.
Vanney acknowledged the issue directly and pointed to the artificial turf at BC Place as one factor behind Wednesday’s rotation.
“Consistency in terms of our lineups is going to be important down the stretch because we just don’t have a lot of time in games and sessions,” said Vanney. “That’s going to be on me, tonight I chose to make a rotation and protect guys, but I do think we’re going to need some consistency which allows guys to get the continuity we need.”
He was equally vocal about his disdain for the playing surface, describing it as “extremely slippery” with players “very uncomfortable and uncertain about footing.”
“The field play is incredibly slow with no bounce,” said Vanney. “It was important for us to protect the guys we protected tonight. We got through the game without any injuries.”
It is a valid concern, but the rotation problem predates Wednesday’s trip to BC Place. Ten different lineups in ten games is not a small pattern.
The one saving grace for the Galaxy on Wednesday night was the results elsewhere. Favorable outcomes around the league mean LA remains just one point from a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
“We know on paper we should have a really good team, but we have to work hard now because every single game matters,” said Norwegian defender Jakob Glesnes. “It doesn’t matter if we’re home or away, we have to be better than what we were showing tonight.”
He pointed to the mood in the dressing room after Saturday’s win over New England as a reminder of how quickly things can shift from game to game.
“I know that it’s a hungry group out there that want to win every game, and hopefully we, we’re going to start already on Saturday, and we can build some momentum and some confidence out of that,” said Glesnes.
“It’s not (been) many days since we’re sitting with a totally different feeling than we’re sitting with today.”
LA’s next match is at home against the Seattle Sounders. It’s more than likely that LA will put out its 11th straight different starting lineup.